Bryce Harper, who turned 20 on Oct. 16, became the first player to win top rookie honors while playing as a teenager since Dwight Gooden in 1984. / Joy R. Absalon, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul White, USA TODAY Sports

VIERA, Fla. -- Bryce Harper is back, bigger and expecting to be better than ever.

The National League rookie of the year and Washington Nationals left fielder â?? that's his permanent outfield spot now â?? showed up at training camp Thursday focused on winning a World Series for his retiring manager, setting goals that might cause questions about his sanity and up to a toned 230 pounds.

He's no rookie anymore, but little else has changed.

"I'm still 20," he said. "I'm still young. I'm going to treat every guy on our team with respect, going to treat every guy in the other dugout with respect. I'm still that young guy out there. I'm still going to play the same game I play."

His game is the hard-driving, all-out â?? and often brash â?? approach to everything he does.

"Go out there and give 120%, play hurt, sick, on my death bed," he said. "Go out there and work hard, play the game the right way, change nothing."

That's the approach that convinced teammates and opponents this was more than some cocky teenager. His expectations are higher than anyone else's.

"I have goals in my head but I'm not going to share those," he said after debuting with 22 homers, 18 stolen bases and a .270 average in 139 games. "People would probably think I'm crazy. I like to exceed my expectations, and those are the only expectations that matter to me."

The team, he realizes, also has the burden of expectations coming off a 98-win season but a Division Series elimination.

"Expectations are always going to be high for our team," he said. "Of course, everybody wants to win the World Series. Hopefully I can play for the next 10 or 15 years and have another shot at winning one."

But he's also aware it's one last shot for 70-year-old manager Davey Johnson, whose only other ring as a manager came in 1986.

"I don't want it to be his last year," Harper said. "But if we can, make him go out on top and get him that World Series."

Harper sees that as part of exciting times in Washington.

"You saw the postseason last year," he said. "You saw with the Redskins this year and RGIII. It's an exciting time for D.C. I'm getting chills right now thinking about it, that we could start something special in that city."

Not bad from a guy who grew up a Dallas Cowboys fan.

And how special?

"Play our game, hopefully go farther than we did last year, have a shot at a parade at the end," Harper said.

One change is the left field job now than Denard Span has been acquired to play center. Harper played all three outfield spots last year.

"I'm not going to the bullpen," Harper said, shrugging off the move. "I played out there last year. It's just another spot. Hopefully, make some plays, throw some guys out and just hit. As long as I'm in the lineup, I'm hitting and doing whatever I can to help this team, that's good enough for me."

Harper says his added weight is temporary and not unusual, though the Nationals roster lists him at 205.

"It's a long stressful season," he said. "A lot of mental stress and things like that, wear and tear on your body and your mind. Going into the offseason, I just try to put all that weight back on. I take pride in my workouts, lift as hard as I can. I'm a guy who's going to lose a lot of weight quick. I'm 230 now, and I'll probably drop down to about 220 before spring training is over."

He didn't have any "that's a clown question" moments in his first spring meeting with the news media, but he hasn't lost his straightforward approach:

* While lauding Washington area fans, he also mentioned the handful of autograph-seekers waiting every morning as players arrive at camp. "I don't know if autograph guys are fans," he said. "It's the same six out there every day."

* Did he watch the rest of last year's postseason? "Nope, college football."

* And the bottom line: "It's just my second year in the big leagues. I'm not going to do anything different. I want perfection out of myself, and I think everyone wants perfection out of our team."